1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an autonomous control system enabling autonomous interlocking of an external device with a machining tool when the external device of the machining tool operates interlocking with the machining tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in order to judging time to prevent the item in the machining tool such as a workpiece, a tool, a chuck, from interfering with the external device, queuing program by M code” is inserted into the program of the numerical control device of the machining tool and the external device, to prevent the interference of the two, when the machining tool operates interlocking with the external device, (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-028019, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-264852).
M code is a group of signals to be used for commanding arbitrary operation from the machining tool to the external device in the queuing control.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a machining tool in queuing control in the prior art.
[Step SX01] After the machining by the machining program 1 is completed and the tool is exchanged, the machining tool sends M code signal to the external device at the time when the external device is to be operated before the time to executed the next machining program 2, and waits until the operation completion signal is received from the external device.
[Step SX02] The machining tool shifts to the machining by the machining program 2.
The flow of the operation of the external device in the queuing control is as follows.
[Step SY01] The external device waits until the M code signal is received from the machining tool, and starts the operation (such as chip discharge).
[Step SY02] The external device sends operation completion signal to the machining tool when the operation is completed.
However, in the prior art, there is a problem that it requires cost for the operator to generate queuing program since it is necessary to insert M code program to each program of the numerical control device and the external device for interlocking the machining tool and the external device. In addition to that, there is a problem that operation of the operator to correspond to influence of change of program to the program of the external device, when occurrence of change of the program in the machining program side requires corresponding change of the program in the external device, since the machining program and the program in the external device should be generated as a pair.